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In short: Samsung is planning to rebrand its Gear 360 camera lineup into the Galaxy 360, as suggested by a new trademark application reviewed by AndroidHeadlines. Originally submitted with the United States Patent and Trademark Office last Thursday, the IP documentation is indicative of another 360-degree camera being in the works, with Samsung also relating it to virtual reality headsets, smartphones, tablets, and several other types of consumer electronics, which is in line with the possibility of this being a Gear 360 successor given how the previously released cameras were compatible with a wide variety of devices, both Android and otherwise.
Background: Samsung hasn’t refreshed its 360-degree camera series since the spring of 2017 and was relatively quiet on the VR front this year as it hasn’t even introduced a new Gear VR headset. The move away from the Gear moniker the newly spotted trademark suggests corresponds with the company’s recent activity in the wearable segment; e.g. instead of launching the Gear S3 successor called the Gear S4, the firm introduced a new Galaxy Watch range this summer. It’s presently unclear when the company might end up launching the Galaxy 360, though it previously confirmed two major events taking place before the end of the year – an October 11 happening that’s likely to see the introduction of its first quadruple-camera Android handset and this year’s iteration of the two-day Samsung Developer Conference starting on November 7 where its seminal foldable smartphone is rumored to be announced. Either of those happenings may also end up serving as the launch vehicle for the Galaxy 360 given how the firm already broke its original release pattern for the 360-degree cameras.
Impact: Samsung appears to be consolidating its product lineups under the Galaxy brand, with the move coming after the Galaxy S9 range recorded what the tech giant deemed were slower-than-expected sales. The Galaxy name remains one of the most valuable product brands on the planet and Samsung’s recent changes to its naming schemes are likely meant to ensure it keeps that title with a more varied portfolio.